This invention relates generally to sprinkler systems and particularly to portable, above ground sprinkler systems for lawns and gardens having a main line from the water supply to the sprinkler system and a valve system for draining the main line and for preventing backflow siphonage into the water supply.
Sprinkler systems used for lawns and gardens are well-known and may be divided generally into above ground systems and below ground systems.
Above ground systems are exemplified by the system sold under the trademark WaterMonster by the company of the same name located at Lancaster, Ga. Such systems include a central unit having an inlet connected to a domestic water supply and several outlet valves each having a connection for one end of a conventional garden hose, the other end of each hose being connectible to a watering attachment. The valves are controlled by a timer so that they operate consecutively at selected time periods. Known above ground systems do not provide back-siphonage protection of supply hose drainage.
Below ground systems are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,403. This patent discloses a system having a plurality of sprinkler heads mounted in series and connected to a common water supply for consecutive operation by a timer. The sprinkler heads are of the pop-up type which have the advantage of being below grade when not in use which facilitates lawn mowing but below ground system lack the versatility of the above ground systems. U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,403, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses the use of backflow preventer and each sprinkler is provided with a self-contained timer system. Below ground systems are much more elaborate than above ground systems and accordingly are much more expensive with respect to the cost of components and require professional installation.
This sprinkler system overcomes the above disadvantages in a manner not revealed in the known prior art.
This sprinkler system is a portable above ground system which provides controlled sprinkling for prescribed periods of time starting at preselected times. The system includes a relief valve which automatically opens when the watering operation is completed to drain water from the main supply line so that the main line supply hose is substantially free from pressure after the watering is complete. The system also includes a backflow prevention valve to guard against reverse flow into the water supply.
This above ground sprinkler system for a water supply provides a main supply hose with a main flow control valve, said hose having an inlet operatively connected to the water supply and an outlet. A central station is provided including a water supply inlet; operatively connected to the main supply hose outlet and a plurality of hose outlets, each having an associated flow control valve. A control system for directing the water supply to the individual hose outlets is provided including a timer. A relief valve is provided for draining the main supply hose.
It is an aspect of this invention that a backflow prevention valve is provided for preventing backflow siphonage into the water supply.
It is an aspect of this invention to provide that the central station includes a portable container housing for the flow control valves.
It is another aspect of this invention to provide that the flow control valves are normally closed, solenoid-operated valves; and the relief valve is a normally open solenoid-operated valve.
It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide a 24 volt power supply for the solenoid-operated valves.
It is still another aspect of this invention to provide that supplying power to any of the normal closed valves energizes the normally open valve.
It is an aspect of this invention to provide that the timer is remotely located from the central location and, as an alternative to provide that the timer is housed in the portable container.
It is another aspect of this invention to provide that the central station includes a cover simulating a natural object.
It is another aspect of this invention to provide that the main flow control valve is normally closed and at least one flow control valve in the central station is normally open to perform the function of the relief valve.
It is still another aspect of this invention to provide that the main flow control valve is normally closed and all other flow control valves and the relief valve are normally open.
It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide that the main flow control valve and the relief valve are energized simultaneously while the central station flow control valves are energized sequentially for normal demand watering, as controlled by the timer and all solenoid-operated valves are de-energized when watering is not required, as controlled by the timer.
It is still another aspect of this invention to provide that all solenoid-operated valves are energized except one of the central station flow control valves, which is sequentially de-energized for demand watering, as controlled by the timer and all solenoid-operated valves are de-energized when watering is not required, as controlled by the timer.
It is another aspect of this invention to provide that each solenoid-operated valve includes a plunger; and the plunger positioning of the normally closed and normally open valves is arranged to insure that the main supply hose is pressure relieved and evacuated to prevent back-siphonage in the event of power failure occur during system operation.
This sprinkler system is relatively simple to manufacture and use and is particularly efficient in operation.